The Lunar Sabbath New Moon Festival
According to the New Testament
The Apostle Paul and the New Moon Festival
Paul and the 1st century believers in Colossae also celebrated Chodesh. "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days, which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Messiah." (Colossians 2:16) The Greek word “noumenia” (G3561) means “the festival of new moon”. In the New Testament (Apostolic Scriptures) the Greek word “men” (G3376) is translated “month”, which again means the duration of a lunar cycle.
Israel also sounded trumpets on Chodesh as does BYA. "In the day of your gladness, in your solemn days, in the beginnings of your moons, you shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your Elohim:” (Num. 10:10)
A Spiritual Shadow!
Like all of Yah’s feasts, Chodesh is a shadow of things to come. Recall how Elohim instructed Moses when he made the tabernacle. “For, see, He said, “that you make all things according to the pattern showed to you in the Mount.” (Hebrews 8:5)
So how is Chodesh a shadow (spiritual) picture? YAHUAH’s feasts are spiritually patterned after Yahshuah. For example, we know our Savior was born, suffered, died, and was buried (disappeared from our view). He then arose from the grave, to be seated on His throne at the Father’s right (reflecting His brilliance). Picture the lunar cycle in Yahshuah’s life, death, and resurrection.
The moon’s cycle of disappearing from our view, then reappearing to grow into a brilliant reflection of the sun is a physical picture of a spiritual event with Yahshuah. "For the law (Torah, teaching of Elohim), having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect." (Hebrews 10:1)
There may also be times in life when you feel alone. When it seems like Elohim isn’t present. That is the time to remember that Yahshuah is always with us, even if we can’t see Him during those trials and tribulations that we endure. Although there are times we can’t see the moon, we know it is always there in the heavens.
This upcoming Chodesh, and every following New Moon Feast, is a special day of gladness! BYA blows its shofars, to mark the start of a new month with a day of worship, songs of praise, prayers and fellowship with our Elohim. With our “first day” established, BYA then counts the days toward Yah’s festivals And YHVH spoke unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, "This moon (month) shall be to you the beginning of moons (months). It shall be the first moon (month) of the year to you." (Exodus 12:1-2) Chodesh is a huge event to YAHUAH. The New Moon heralds our counting toward all His feasts days.
Scripture often links solemn assemblies and offerings to YAHUAH during Feasts (Yah’s annual Festivals, Chodesh, and Sabbaths). Consider the time of Ezekiel, "And it shall be the prince's part to give burnt offerings, meat offerings, and drink offerings, in the feasts, in the new moons and in the Sabbaths. In all solemnities of the house of Israel: he shall prepare the sin offering, the meat offering, the burnt offering and peace offerings to make reconciliation for the house of Israel." (Ezekiel 45:17)
The Example of Elisha
Anther example is given in the story of Elisha and a woman of Shunem, who regularly met on Sabbaths and Chodesh. In fact, when the woman went to see Elisha about her sick, dying child on a different day, her husband remarked, “Wherefore will you go to him today? It is neither new moon nor Sabbath?” And she said, “It shall be well.” (2 Kings 4:23)
Certain ancient Israelites during the days of the prophet Amos refrained from their crooked practices of selling produce on Chodesh and sabbaths. Hear this, O you who swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail, saying, “When will the new moon be gone that we may sell corn? And the sabbath that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit? That we may buy the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of shoes? Yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat?” YAHUAH has sworn by the Excellency of Jacob, “Surely I will never forget any of their works.” (Amos 8:4-7) Other New Moon examples from scripture include: (1 Chronicles 23:31; 2 Chronicles 2:4; 8:13; 31:3; Hosea 2:11; Ezra 3:5; and Nehemiah 10:33).
On the other hand, it is notable when Chodesh references are missing in Scripture (Leviticus 23). Does this mean that New Moon gatherings are no longer to be kept? Why have Yah’s people stopped celebrating Chodesh? Is the New Moon celebration replaced by Sabbath? Was this Feast intentionally hidden like the removal of YAHUAH’s sacred name from most translations of scripture?
Observing Chodesh will add another 12 or 13 feast days per year. Is such an approach convenient? Likely not! But whoever said Yah wants us to do things at our convenience? Will it seem awkward and peculiar? Probably for many! Yet Scripture calls us to be a peculiar, set apart people. Is there harm in giving more to Yah than what the masses do in mainstream religions? One day all will come to know and worship Yah on Sabbaths and Chodesh. “It shall come to pass that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me,” says YAHUAH. (Isaiah 66:23)
There will also come a time when the moon will become dark. "The earth shall quake before them. The heavens shall tremble. The sun and moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining." (Joel 2:10) So while the remnant of Yah’s people can still see the moon, BYA will observe Chodesh. "You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel and that I am YAHUAH your Elohim, and none else. My people shall never be ashamed. And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. Your old men shall dream dreams. Your young men shall see visions Also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days I will pour out My spirit. I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth. Blood, fire and pillars of smoke! The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of YAHUAH come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of YAHUAH shall be delivered. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance as YAHUAH has said, and in the remnant whom YAHUAH shall call." (Joel 2:27-32)
Why would Elohim want to rest on one day of the week more than any other day? What real difference does it make anyhow? Yet it does to YHVH! To earthly man it is foolishness to keep the Holy Days. Rulers can, and do, declare rest days (holidays) for man-made reasons. Keeping YAHUAH’s festivals reveals an attitude. Observing Yah’s feasts means forsaking our own thoughts for periods of time to be with Yah as He specifies. A willingness to learn, to study, to think and to meditate on important matters of life is a step toward developing Yah-like character. It is simple obedience. We do so, because Yah says to do so.
To the earthly man the keeping of Yah’s feast days is incomprehensible, unnecessary, and annoying. To the obedient and repentant spiritual man, it is an eagerly anticipated joy. The Feasts of YAHUAH (New Moons, Sabbaths and annual Holy Days) are special opportunities that show our attitude and reveal whether we truly want to obey and depend upon Yah’s Holy Spirit.
The feast days spiritually memorialize YAHUAH’s entire plan of redemption (salvation) for Israel (His chosen people). So BYA, in obedience, opens its sanctuary to worship Yah on His moedim (set-apart days including Chodesh). All the feasts stand together and are equally important. When BYA gathers to celebrate a New Moon we are follow the ways of our ancient fathers, but do so in a converted manner of new life and faith (Isaiah 1:13-14).
Except for certain sacrificial practices found in the Books of Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, the celebrations of New Moons, Sabbaths and festivals are similar. In the Millennium everyone will know what to do for Chodesh. (Isaiah 66:23). The first step in the process is to recognize something is to be done, then begin doing it. Taking that first step will lead to more revelation. Yah will gently correct the way of His people to have them worship Him as He desires. So why not start being a Chodesh-keeper starting with the next New Moon celebration?
The sun and moon are the greater and lesser lights (Genesis 1:16). The sun has dominion over the day. The moon rules at night. Yahshuah is the spiritual Light and Sun of Righteousness. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. (Malachi 4:2)
Yahshuah is the spiritual light to this world, and we have an opportunity to be a lesser light, like the moon, to reflect the light of YAHUAH. As we imitate our King, Savior and Redeemer, Yahshuah haMessiach, we walk in the light of His truth (the Torah). We reflect the nature and character of our Father as His sons and daughters. Our Father in heaven offers His chosen ones as lights to a dark and spiritually lost world. This is our divine appointment and commission! It is also our calling, each of us, as Yah’s chosen people.
Hallelu Yah! May Yah be with you and His grace with all.